By Aneeka Simonis
POLICE will meet with residents concerned with crime issues in their area as part of the region’s first Coffee with a Cop session later this month.
Police investigators, uniform officers and members of the proactive unit are expected to chat with locals over a coffee at Fergusson Plarre at Arena Shopping Centre in Officer from 10am – 11am on Thursday 20 October.
It’ll be the first of its kind to be held in Cardinia Shire, modelled off the popular monthly meet-up held across various shopping centres in the City of Casey over the last 15 months.
Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Darron Hedge said the aim of the program was to give members of the public the chance to ask questions about crime prevention and reduce community fears about police.
“There will be no agenda. Everyone is invited to come down and have a chat,” he said.
The session runs in conjunction with the mobile police unit which frequents different parts of Cardinia Shire, encouraging residents to voice any concerns they have in their own neighbourhood.
Both initiatives also boost police presence in the area in the hope of mitigating acts of crime.
Det Act Sen Sgt Hedge said that if the session was successful, it would be held on an ongoing basis.
